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SPEECH AND SPEAKING TIPS 18 – 19

My concern is more with the qualities of speaking and LISTENING than with the mere speaking of words. There is speaking and speaking. Listening as a part of the speech platform seems to have gone by the bye. Too often people listen for pause, so they can begin speaking. They listen but don’t hear or comprehend.

OFFER AUDIENCE RESPONSE TIME
When speaking, offer audience members a chance if possible to interact by way of asking questions and sharing their opinions. This kind of workshopping engagement is often far more appealing than audience being subject to an ongoing non-participative presentation.

Consider KEY WORDS on palm size prompt cards to guide in speech presentation. Those speaking without notes and visible paper aids are often more convincing than those dependent on ‘paper’ speeches.

Tip 19

Keep speeches and presentations short. Ideally, no more than 25 minutes. Long and ongoing presentations turn into rambles. Audiences turn off and begin clock watching.

Choose words carefully. They need to fit the audience profile. Presenters should avoid talking up and talking down to audience groups. This will happen if the audience type or group is researched and that is a hallmark of respect for listeners.

When speaking, make whole sentences impactive. Don’t fade away toward the end of sentences and don’t clip statements in a way that reduces their impact and meaning.